


of leaves and light

by royaltyjunk



Category: Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken | Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword
Genre: Gen, Running Away, Sibling Bonding, i would die for these siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:33:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23822386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/royaltyjunk/pseuds/royaltyjunk
Summary: The metal door barely creaked as they slipped outside, and as soon as they were outside of the cell they were running—running, running, and running. Written for FE Gen Week 2020.
Relationships: Nils & Ninian (Fire Emblem)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	of leaves and light

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Ideas: Written from FE Gen Week 2020  
> I’m still in a FE7 mood for… some reason  
> NGL this fic is kind of dedicated to my brother even though he doesn’t even read any of my fic and we still live together but he’s really been helping me get through this whole time and I’m really going to miss him when I move out :’> so this one goes out to him

It had been close to two full days since the two of them had passed through the Dragon’s Gate. Nergal taunted them every day with their ice-blue dragonstones, dangling them—their energies, their dragon’s quintessence—in front of their very eyes.

“I must thank you two,” Nergal laughed as he tucked away their dragonstones. “You are going to help bring destruction to this land!”

Ninian curled tight around herself, swallowing and tightening her hands into fists. Nils pushed himself back up against the wall next to Ninian, and pursed his lips. Ninian spared a glance up at the sorcerer, only to see him turning to the woman next to him.

“Come, Limstella.”

“Yes, Master.”

The two of them left, and Ninian forced herself to sit up. Nils glanced over at his sister and helped her up, swallowing harshly. “...They didn’t notice,” Nils whispered.

“They didn’t…” Ninian murmured back, and then pushed herself to stand up. She braced herself against the wall, and watched as Nils slipped the key he had stolen from a nearby guard into the lock of their cell. She held her breath, as if so much as breathing would cause Nergal and Limstella to come running back.

And then, metal clicked. Nils turned to look at him over his shoulder, excitement bright in his eyes, and Ninian smiled back at him brightly. The metal door barely creaked as they slipped outside, and as soon as they were outside of the cell they were running—running, running, and running. They were running for what felt like forever, until they finally descended the stairs and emerged in the ruins of the Dragon’s Gate.

Nils took her hand and pulled her aside, away from the Dragon’s Gate and into the nearby forest. Ninian pulled her dress up slightly so she wouldn’t trip over it or anything else on the ground.

The trees shadowed their escape, bending out of their way to keep the two siblings away from the eyes of the Dragon’s Gate and the group inhabiting it. If she hadn’t been running from the oncoming destruction of both of her worlds, she would have loved to stop and enjoy the sight around her.

But not right now. The dread seeped back in again, followed by the terror and then the helplessness and then the shame and then the guilt and then—

“I’m sorry, Nils.” The apology came spilling out of her. When she began speaking, she found she couldn’t stop. Her hand tightened around Nini’s Grace. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault.”

“Don’t say stuff like that, Ninian.”

Ninian shook her head violently. “It’s true, Nils. It’s true. You know it.”

“Ninian—”

“If only I hadn’t opened the gate… if only I hadn’t let us through…” She was spiraling now, unable to pull herself out of this guilt because it was all true. It was all her fault. “If only I hadn’t let Nergal take our dragonstones and if only I hadn’t—”

“Ninian!” Nils’s shout startled her, so much so that she almost dropped their mother’s ring from her grip. She glanced up at him, a cloud of panic and terror and guilt clogging up her throat. “It’s not your fault, Ninian. Please. It was both of our faults, Ninian… we both wanted to visit this land. I wanted to visit this land.”

“But—”

“We both wanted to, Ninian… we both wanted to return here. We wanted to see it again… it wasn’t just you. So please… don’t say that.” When Ninian looked up, she could see tears welling up in his eyes. Her heart twisted, full of guilt again, but for a different reason.

“...I’m sorry,” Ninian whispered, and slid on Nini’s Grace before she reached out to take Nils’s hands. “You’re… you’re right. We have to protect our friends, back home.”

“Yes.” Nils smiled, and rested his thumb atop the ring. Even now, he believed in their good luck charm. Why shouldn’t she? “Back home… we’ll go back, won’t we?”

“...We will.” It might have been a silly hope, but she knew it was a hope nonetheless—like light, filtering through the leaves of forest trees. As long as she and Nils had hope, they would be alright.

~ / . / . / ~

Ninian’s hand found Nils’s as they left the inn, squeezing his hand tight. Nils squeezed back as he waved to the innkeeper and thanked him.

As soon as they left, he turned to look at her. “Is something wrong?”

“...Yes,” she admitted softly. There had been a feeling in the pit of her gut, so similar to that warning of oncoming danger, and yet so different. “Something’s wrong…” Nils stiffened immediately at her words. She hurried to correct herself. “It’s that feeling again… danger, but different.”

“It’s still danger, nonetheless,” Nils murmured, and let her pull him closer. “Do you think—”

Her gut twisted. Ninian drew her arms around Nils tight and spun around. “Reveal yourself!”

There was a moment of silence, and then a shaman in black robes appeared out of thin air. “Warp magic,” Nils whispered. “Just like Nergal. Do you think…?”

“They must be,” Ninian whispered, and began to take slow steps away from the man. She knew it would not accomplish anything; she had no doubt that they were already surrounded. “What do you want from us?”

“Must you ask that?” The shaman sneered. “You know what we… no. What Lord Nergal desires.”

So she was right. They were finally here. It had been close to one moon since she and Nils had run away, and in the blink of an eye they had been found. Just how many people had to be involved with these awful men for the two of them to be found so easily?

“Do not try to resist. We have you surrounded. Just come with us quietly, and we might spare you the pain of travelling.”

Both of them moved without looking—without even communicating. Ninian darted to the left, and Nils rushed to the right. Ninian ran as fast as she could, but her feet moved before her thoughts. By the time the twisting feeling in her gut registered in her mind, it was too late.

A mercenary leapt out from the shadows of the forest, tackling her to the floor. Ninian screamed, but fell silent when the mercenary grabbed hold of her arm roughly and shook her.

“Shut up,” he growled, and pulled her to stand with him. She did as he commanded, staying quiet as he guided her back to where the shaman was standing. When she glanced up, she could see him wrestling with Nils, and terror flared up in her gut.

“Let him go!” she cried out. “Don’t take him! You only need—”

The mercenary pulled on her arm, forcing her forward. “Shut your mouth! You’re both coming with us!”

“You can’t!” Ninian begged. “Please, if you must take someone, take me!”

The two men shared a glance. In that moment of time, Nils moved—quick as a snake. His slim arm darted out from the shaman’s grasp and struck the shaman in the face, forcing him to loosen his grip and stagger backwards.

Would he be alright, she wondered as she watched him slip away into the forest again. He was Nils… he would surely be alright. But the reality of their situation… there was that impending feeling of danger and anticipation in her gut. She was sure he could feel the same thing. They were not safe.

Even if he spent days hiding away between the trees, they still were not safe. Was this it?

“Nils,” she whispered, even as the furious gazes of the two men holding her captive turned on her. She ignored both pairs of hands holding her, ignored the way the mercenary’s hand grasped the back of her neck. She ignored him when he removed it. She ignored the clanging of metal, the gust of wind as he lowered his hand, and the curling feeling in her gut, telling her she was in immense danger. “Nils—”

And then her world went pitch black.

~ / . / . / ~

“Ninian!”

That was a familiar voice. She had to wake up, she knew it. Who—?

Her eyes were fluttering open before she even registered it, wincing at the bright light streaming down on her. Nils knelt beside her, eyes glittering with concern.

“Are you awake?”

“Nils? Is it really you?” When he nodded, she reached out to cup his cheek and almost cried when she felt the warmth there. “Oh, you’re safe!”

“Uh-huh. These people helped me.”

She was about to ask who when she glanced over his shoulder and saw the band of people gathered by the castle, speaking softly with each other. One of them—a young woman with green hair—noticed Ninian’s awakening and strode over. Ninian pushed herself to stand up from where she was sitting against one of the castle’s stone walls; when Nils aided her and stood by her side, she smiled.

Her attention stayed on her brother, the question, “Who are they?” directed to him. He averted his gaze to the green-haired woman.

“Uh…”

“I’m Lyn,” the green-haired woman said with a smile. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

Lyn was a kind, caring soul. Even without speaking to her for long, Ninian could sense it. There was a warmth to Lyn’s soul so unlike any other person she had met—and there was such quintessence within her. A woman, brimming to the surface with life and joy and hope.

“That was kind of her… to let us travel with her,” Ninian murmured softly. “Even though she knows we’re being pursued… she was still willing to let us go with her. What a kind person.”

“Is your ankle alright?” Nils asked, concern filling his eyes. Ninian pressed her foot down on the floor gingerly, and winced when pain shot through her leg.

“I can’t put much weight on it… but it’ll be okay.”

“There’s a cleric with Lady Lyn’s band. You should go see her.” Nils pointed over to where the group of people was congregating. “The lady with the pink hair.”

“I will,” Ninian promised, “I just want to…” and she trailed off. When Nils turned to look at her inquisitively, she opened her arms. Nils broke into a bright smile and—very carefully—rushed forward to throw his arms around her waist. Ninian held him close, just taking in his presence.

“I’m here,” Nils whispered.

“I know… I just…”

Nils nestled into Ninian’s arms, and she could feel Nils smile against her skin. Ninian held her brother tighter, and they stayed like that for quite a while—just stayed there, wrapped up in each other’s arms. Nothing was wrong, and nothing was strange. They were with each other, and that was all that mattered.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

They rarely said it to each other. They knew it more than anything. Yet, more than that, they were dragons, living on the other side of the Dragon’s Gate. They had centuries—millenium, even, to live. But now, living as humans and knowing how fragile the state of their being was, Ninian felt more compelled to say it.

(After all, what if one day, they—?)

At that thought Ninian held Nils tighter, and with a soft laugh he squeezed his arms around her. “...I’m right here,” he reassured softly. “I’m right here.”

“I know,” Ninian whispered back, stroking his back. “Thank you, Nils… thank you.” She really couldn’t ask for a better companion.

After they pulled away from each other, Ninian began to make her way over to where the pink-haired cleric was. As she did, she paused and glanced at her hands for a moment. Something felt wrong…

And then it clicked.

“Oh…”

“What’s wrong, Ninian?”

~ / . / . / ~

Ninian sighed, pulling her sash tight around her body. She tried to ignore the way the branches of the forest brushed up against her arms, but found that she couldn’t; they were too similar to fingers grasping onto her, hands latching onto her. She shivered. Nils caught the action and slowed to walk by her side.

“Are you okay, Ninian?” Nils murmured softly.

“I’m okay. I’m just… worried.” Nils stayed silent, and she took that as a sign to keep speaking. “What do we do once this is all over…? We’re safe for now… but what do we do after this?”

“That’s…” Nils began, and then cut himself off. Ninian couldn’t bear to look at him, and so she didn’t. She kept her gaze focused ahead, on the people walking ahead of them and the forest that stretched out endlessly—stretched out past what she could see.

“They’re bound to find us again… they’re going to take us back to that man, Nergal, and they’re going to use us to open the Dragon’s Gate. Where do we hide, Nils? What are we going to do?”

“...We’ll find somewhere to stop,” Nils murmured, “and we’ll find somewhere to hide. We’ll be alright.”

Ninian took in a deep breath, and then sighed. Nils said that now, but would it really be? How long would it be until Nergal found them again? Nils said to have hope, but could they really? Did they really deserve to have hope, knowing what they had done and the trouble they had put their friends into?

“Ninian, it’s okay.” Ninian jolted, and glanced over at Nils. He really could read her like an open book. “It’ll be okay. I just...I want to tell Lady Lyn,” Nils whispered, although there was a knowing look in his eyes; he already knew what Ninian was going to say.

“We can’t.”

“I know, Ninian. She’s already letting us travel with her and we can’t tell her… she’s already done so much for us. But… I still wish I could tell her.”

Confusion filled her heart, and she turned to look at Nils with a furrowed brow. “Why…?”

“Staying like this, with a band of people like this… it keeps you safe. As much as I wouldn’t want to be a burden to Lady Lyn… I don’t want you to be in danger, Ninian.”

“Nils…” Ninian swallowed and ruffled his hair, unable to find words to say for a moment. When she finally did, her voice was tremulous and surely gave away all the things she felt—all the guilt and the affection and the worry and the pride and the panic. “It’ll be okay, Nils. It will be.”

Nils just watched her for a moment before he smiled and skipped away. There was something about the way he moved, dancing between their comrades and the sturdy oak trees of the forest, and yet kept his gaze on her to make sure she was alright that made her heart throb.

She was so, so proud of him—her little brother. Her strong, courageous, trusting, caring little brother, who meant the world to her in this unknown world they had once called home.

~ / . / . / ~

Caelin Castle stood tall and proud against the skyline. Ninian found she couldn’t tear her gaze away from it, even though she had spent the last few days living within its walls.

“Ninian?” She turned to look over at Nils, who was staring at her with worry. “Is something wrong?”

“No… I was just looking.”

Nils nodded understandingly, turning his gaze up to the castle as well. “It’s unbelievable… that it’s all over now.”

“We’re on the run again.”

“We are… but it feels different, somehow.”

Nils’s words made her frown slightly, but she couldn’t say that she didn’t feel it either. There was something different about the way everything felt and looked this time around. Standing here, in the midst of a forest, she didn’t mind the branches and leaves that brushed up against the skin that wasn’t covered by her shawl. They didn’t remind her of hands, reaching out to grab her. They didn’t remind her of anything.

Yes, they were on the run. But knowing that there were people who would want to help them—people who cared about them—aside from themselves put her heart more at ease.

They’d be alright. So long as they were together, they’d be alright.

“Come on, Ninian!” When she looked up, Nils was already running through the forest with a bright smile on his lips. She laughed softly and hurried after him.

“I’m coming, Nils.”


End file.
